JUDICIARY Latest Features

Members of Judiciary Human Capital Development, Gender and Equity Mainstreaming Committee

Earlier, the Human Capital Development, Gender, and Equity Mainstreaming Committee held its second meeting in Boardroom 2 at the Supreme Court Building.

The meeting was chaired by Supreme Court's Lady Justice Dr. Catherine Bamugemereire and it aimed to discuss the formation of sub-committees, their membership, and terms of reference. It also discussed the Committee's purpose, responsibilities, and work plan.

In her remarks, Lady Justice Dr. Bamugemereire noted that the Human Capital Development, Gender, and Equity Mainstreaming Committee is one of the most important committees formed under the Administration of the Judiciary Act.

She pointed out that the Committee's role directly impacts the well-being of the Judiciary's human capital, making it crucial to consider each of its sub-committees as extremely important.

Explaining the function of sub-committees, Justice Dr. Bamugemereire noted that the Committee established them to concentrate on key issues. 

"Subcommittees are normally formed by either the main Committee or if it is Parliament, by the House, in order to zero in, to lean in, to double down on a particular area and then report to the main committee or to the main house. In our case, this Committee has created sub-committees in order to help us concentrate on particular areas," she said.

She emphasized that the sub-committees will report to the main Committee, explaining that since the main committee only meets once every quarter, it cannot manage all the matters that arise. However, with the sub-committees in place, it can address specific issues and present their findings during the quarterly meetings for discussion.

The sub-committees under this Committee include the Human Capital Development Committee, the Gender and Equity Mainstreaming Committee, and the Public Relations, Communications, and Protocol Committee.

Justice Dr. Bamugemereire also highlighted the need to discuss the sub-committees membership to ensure that members are placed where they can effectively contribute.

Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Judiciary, Dr. Pius Bigirimana, emphasized the importance of the meeting, stating that it provides clarity on the Committee's direction and purpose.

He urged members to remember that their work in the sub-committees contribute to the overall goals of the main Committee, reminding them that they are not just serving their specific sub-committees but the main Committee as a whole.

During a discussion on the overlapping functions of the Human Capital Development, Gender, and Equity Mainstreaming Committee and the Judicial Training Institute(JTI) Governing Council, the Chief Registrar HW Sarah Langa Siu informed members that the draft Regulations for the JTI are ready. 

She noted that these Regulations detail the roles, responsibilities, and membership of the Governing Council. HW Langa stressed the need for collaboration between both committees to address overlaps.

A taskforce was formed during the meeting to meet with the Chairperson JTI Governing Council to identify overlaps and report back to the Committee before presenting their findings to the Chief Justice. This collaboration aims to clarify both Committees' respective roles and streamline operations.

Members also emphasized the importance of providing clear recommendations to the Chief Justice without overwhelming him with raw data, advocating for a cooperative effort to refine the draft JTI regulations and improve the effectiveness of both committees.

Regarding the Public Relations, Communications, and Protocol Subcommittee, concerns were raised about its responsibilities. Members emphasized the need for clarity on the its functions and roles and discussed the potential of overlapping duties with technical personnel.

Other matters discussed during the meeting included the Committee's work plan, the sub-committee's terms of reference, and membership composition among other things.

The Human Capital Development Sub-committee is chaired by Justice Dr. Bamugemeire, with Ms. Tumwine N. Apophia (Commissioner Human Resource Management) as the Secretary.

The Gender and Equity Mainstreaming Sub-committee has Lady Justice Margaret Mutonyi (Judge Criminal Division) as Chairperson, also with Ms. Tumwine as Secretary.

The Public Relations, Communications, and Protocol Sub-Committee is chaired by Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire (Justice of the Court of Appeal), with Ms. Sheila Wamboga (Principal Communications Officer) as Secretary.